Andy Serkis: The Last Jedi is a powerful and emotional story

Andy Serkis was blown away by 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' because it is such an "emotional" story.

The 53-year-old actor plays Supreme Leader Snoke in the new trilogy in the sci-fi saga and will feature a lot more in the upcoming eighth movie - helmed by Rian Johnson - than he did in 'The Force Awakens'.

Serkis admits when saw the final cut of the movie he was stunned by how moving the story is on the big screen.

Speaking at a press event in Los Angeles, Serkis said: "I was so caught up with it not least because it was really intimate and very emotional and I wasn't expecting that at all. It's very very powerful, and it touches you. What Rian's done incredibly is make this dance tonally, between these great epic moments, and hilarious antics, literally flipping on a dime and then going right through into the heart of these beautiful characters and you really care."

Filmmaker Johnson also confirmed that the film will be darker than the previous movies and said it is "intense".

He said: "I think we've been kind of trained to expect it will be a little darker and obviously it looks a little darker. We're going to go to some intense places in the movie but I hope also it's fun."

'The Last Jedi' is set directly after 2015's 'The Force Awakens' and will show Mark Hamill return as Jedi Master Luke Skywalker - who briefly appeared at the end of the last film - to train mysterious force sensitive character Rey.

The film marks the last outing for Carrie Fisher as the iconic General Leia Organa after she tragically died last December.

150 min | Adventure

Rey develops her newly discovered abilities with the guidance of Luke Skywalker, who is unsettled by the strength of her powers. Meanwhile, the Resistance prepares to do battle with the First Order. ...